How The Birds Got Their Colours

10 October - 11 October, 2026

How The Birds Got Their Colours

How The Birds Got Their Colours

Experience the magic of How The Birds Got Their Colours, an Indigenous-led performance blending traditional First Nations dance, storytelling, and contemporary circus. The works feature the internationally acclaimed Yugambeh Elder Luther Cora and the Yugambeh Aboriginal Dancers, alongside ARC Circus.  

Perfect for all ages, this breathtaking work brings a Dreamtime story to life in the HOTA Lake Precinct, celebrating cultural connection, identity, and the beauty of diversity.

Times: 10 – 11 Oct, 12pm & 1.30pm

Bio


ROBBIE CURTIS

Robbie has worked for companies including Cirque du Soleil, Circa, Circus Oz, Legs on the Wall, Cirque de Paname, Australian Ballet, Australian Opera, Theatre of Image, Circus Monoxide, Shaun Parker Co and Footnote dance company. Robbie is internationally recognised for his unique style mixing dance and circus, and he has been an artistic consultant at the National Institute of Circus Arts. Robbie has performed in notable theatres around the world, including Barbican, Sadler’s Wells, BAM, Theatre Grec, Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne, and he has performed at every major Australian arts festival.

LIZZIE MCRAE

Lizzie is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of ARC Circus Co. Lizzie is also a unique performer and creator performing with ARC. Lizzie has been a key creative in all five of ARC’s shows, and has performed nationally and internationally with the company, notably with ‘A Bee Story’ which has performed internationally as well as nationally in Australia at major festivals, and touring more broadly. Lizzie’s unique blend of mixing live music, acrobatics and circus has been celebrated with five-star reviews and awards. She has taught all levels of flute, also plays piccolo, and is a juggler and clown. Lizzie holds both a Bachelor and a Masters's degree from the University of Sydney, and she has worked in management all over the world, including Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Myanmar, Indonesia, Japan, the UK, and the USA. She is passionate about entertaining and empowering kids, and in between performing with ARC Circus, she is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Iraqi Children Foundation

LUTHER CORA

Luther comes from the Bungarre family of the Yugambeh language group of the Bundjalung nation around the Gold Coast and Tweed region. His Aboriginal name is Bullam, which means Black Cockatoo. Luther is an Indigenous cultural performer and artist, who, alongside his family as the Yugambeh Dancers troupe, have performed at the National Trust Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary for over 20 years. The group has also performed at significant sporting events such as the Gold Coast Suns and Indigenous All Stars games, and at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

TAYVONNE CORA

Daughter of Aboriginal elder Luther Cora, Tayvonne is an emerging dancer and performer with the Yugambeh Dancers. Her totem name, Gherra, means White Cockatoo. Tayvonne performs regularly with the Yugambeh dancers and alongside ARC Circus in Living Sculptures: How the Birds Got Their Colours, including recent seasons at Darwin Festival and Clancestry (QPAC) in 2025.

PAUL O’KEEFFE

Paul started touring the world at age 16 playing one of the lead roles in Company Skylark’s Wake Baby. He has toured the world countless times performing in circus, dance, puppetry, musical and physical theatre. He has worked and performed for some of the most world-renowned companies including: Circa Contemporary Circus, Circus Oz, Circus Monoxide, Kronik, Strut & Fret Production House, The Australian Choreographic Centre, Jigsaw Theatre Company, Out Of the Blue Studios, Malcom C Cooke & Associates and Legs On The Wall.

KATHRYN O’KEEFFE

Trained in Canberra, originally as a gymnast and dancer, Kathryn completed a Bachelor of Dance at VCA. Upon completion of study, Kathryn discovered a passion for circus and has since been a performer and choreographer in dance, circus and physical theatre. Kathryn has performed nationally and internationally with companies such as Circa (over 30 productions), Rogue Collective, Strange Fruit, Liquid Skin, Strut n Fret, Blue Circus, Phunktional and as a resident aerialist for the Australian pavilion at the World Expo 2010.

JOHNATHON BROWN

Johnathon is a proud Anawan/Kamilaroi Man hailing from Armidale, NSW. Most recently, Johnathon has been captivating audiences as a dancer/acrobat performer at Na Dijnang Circus, based in Melbourne, and has previously worked with Casus Circus. Johnathan has performed at notable festivals including Sydney Festival and Edinburgh Fringe, and has appeared in shows including DriftWood, DNA, Chasing Smoke, Arterial, and Common Dissonance. Johnathon is a proud graduate of the NAISDA Dance College, Australia’s foremost Indigenous dance institution.

SARAH GRAY

Since graduating from NICA in 2016, Sarah has performed in multiple events, television commercials and shows, including Barnum: A Circus Musical. In 2019, and she represented Australia in the World Championships of Performing Arts, California and was awarded Senior Dancer of the World. Sarah has performed nationally and internationally with Circa as well as other companies such as Gravity & Other Myths and One Fell Swoop Circus.

Credits


Co-creator & Director - Robbie Curtis Co-creator & Director - Luther Cora Co-creator & Director - Lizzie McRae Costume Design - Maria McRae with consultation from Luther Cora How The Birds Got Their Colours is supported by the EGC Arts Fund

Reviews


  • "How the Birds Got Their Colours is a beautiful spell-binding show; a must-see experience for all ages." - Alana James, We are Locals

Acknowledgements


Arc_Primary_Logo_K.jpg

Location

135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise, QLD 4217